Skype officially replacing Messenger, new version out now

When Skype 6.0 hit late last month, it introduced the ability to sign into the Microsoft-owned service using an existing Windows Live Messenger account (in addition to Facebook and Retina MacBook support). Now with a new version of the app released today, it's possible to chat with and call Messenger contacts directly.

This is part of Microsoft's planned phasing out of Messenger in favor of Skype, something it revealed today will happen everywhere but mainland China by early 2013. The Skype update is now live from within Skype 6.0 or via the app's official download page.